A terrified solicitor was forced to defend herself when a sinister stranger tried to kiss her in an A9 layby.
Creepy Craig Denim signalled the lawyer to stop as she drove down the A9 and told her: “I pulled you over ’cause you’re tidy.”
The woman tried to bluff her way out of the distressing encounter, before shoving the 22-year-old away from her car and speeding off.
She called police when she noticed her pursuer was still on her tail.
Denim, from East Ayrshire, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and placing his victim in a state of fear or alarm on November 17 2020.
He will be sentenced next month.
Flashing lights
Fiscal depute Catherine Fraser told the court the solicitor noticed Denim’s car at around 6.30pm, as she drove south along the A90 Perth to Dundee road.
“She became aware of a grey Renault Megane overtaking her vehicle and then slowing down,” she said.
“It did this four or five times.”
When the lawyer overtook the car she saw it flashing its lights in her rear-view mirror.
“She thought this was strange and thought there was perhaps something wrong with her car,” said Ms Fraser.
Denim indicated left, as if advising the solicitor to pull over.
“As she reached the Broxden roundabout and joined the A9, the vehicle continued to follow her,” the fiscal depute said.
“Concerned there was something wrong with her vehicle, the complainer pulled into a layby to check.
“She saw the Megane pull in behind her.”
The woman kept an eye on Denim’s car as she went to check her rear lights.
She returned to the driver’s seat when she saw that everything was in order.
“She observed the accused getting out of his car,” Ms Fraser said.
“He came over and chapped on the window of the complainer’s vehicle.
“She rolled down the window to ask what he wanted.
“At that point, he pulled open the driver’s door.”
Denim said to her: “I pulled you over ‘cos you’re tidy”.
Ms Fraser said: “The complainer did not know how to respond to this.”
He asked her age, then asked for a kiss using words like: “Can I give you a snog?”
“She told him no,” the fiscal depute said.
“She said she would give him her number and that was all he was getting.
“The complainer thought that by doing this, he would leave her alone.”
Scared for her safety
“At the time he was holding on to the driver’s side of the door and she wasn’t able to close it,” the fiscal depute said.
“She felt scared for her safety.”
“He then leaned into the vehicle as if to give her a kiss but she was able to lean away from him.
“She put her hand up to create some distance between them.”
Ms Fraser said: “The accused then took out his mobile phone to put in her number.
“At this point, the complainer took the opportunity to push him out of the car and pull the door closed.
“She then reversed and sped off to get away from him.
“However, she was soon aware he had caught up with her and was tailgating her.
“The complainer was extremely frightened for her safety because of the way he was acting.”
She called her mother and told her what was happening.
“Her mum could hear she was “panicked”, the fiscal depute said.
“The complainer then contacted the police,” said Ms Fraser.
“She pulled in at Stirling service station where officers attended.
“They observed that she was upset and distressed.”
Investigators traced the Megane, which was registered to Denim’s father.
He confirmed that his son was driving that day.
Denim, of Loudon Avenue, Galstoun, was arrested and interviewed but gave “no comment” responses.
Sheriff Rory Bannerman deferred sentence until October 12.
